Discuss: The Hungry Earth (5x08)

Television, Movies Games and Books Doctor Who
#1

I know I’m gonna sound like an ass, but I think that the Doctor had another “dumbest I’ve ever seen him” moments when he let the kid wander off while there was a danger timer with only a minute left on the computer screen in front of him. Wouldn’t you say “hey, they’ll be here in less than a minute, and I doubt you can make it home and back in that time, so… y’know, just say here where it’s slightly safer”?

The reptiloids seem to be a fascinating species, but they’re more trigger-happy than a Klingon, and more “super-defensive” than North Korea:

(paraphrased for simplicity)
“Humans attacked us! They drilled into our compound!”
“They didn’t even know you existed. This is just a big misunderstanding.”
“We will purge the unclean apes from the planet!”
“It was an accident-”
“You obviously seek to destroy us! We will destroy you first!”
“Haven’t you heard a word I’ve-”
“DAMN YOU DIRTY APES!”

Also, no way that the Doctor could’ve MacGyver’d all those cameras/lights/junk to a switchboard and interfaced it with a computer in only eight minutes, sonic screwdriver or not.

This just seems like a kinda weak episode, but who knows, maybe the second part will make up for it, but from what I’ve seen of the trailer for next week, I’m not holding onto much hope.

#2

I agree with most of that.

I do have a question… Has Matt Smith as the Doctor shown up ANYWHERE or ANYWHEN he was going? This is very un-doctor like.

As it turns out, I happen to have a theory about that… :slight_smile:

I think that whatever the “Cracks” are, they are causing even more trouble then we yet realize. AND I think, in the end, the Doctor will have to ‘Un-do’ time, and AMY will end up never having been a companion. AND Perhaps the doctor himself may (forgive this one…) De-regenerate, back into Davit Tenant.

#3

… now i keep imagining Michael Hogan yelling, “Damn you dirty apes!” in a Saul Tigh kind of way…

#4

If this means that Wilf will never “knock four times” and we get to re-keep the 10th doctor, then I am ALL for this.

#5

Thats what I hope it means… I like Matt Smith and I like Amy Pond, but he is staying to bumbling for me to take him to heart…IYKWIM…

#6

Solar Pilot: I agree that letting the child go off was rather idiotic, and you could see from the Doctor’s face that he was pretty damn aware that he had screwed up. People around the Doctor are often in mortal danger, that has been said more than once. It is not always the monster that leads to the danger, it can often be the Doctor’s meddling or lack of concentration that is the root cause. I think this scene was a way of separating the Doctor, making him more alien. He is thinking on such a different level that the small human moments are missed. Do.not.hire.as.babysitter.

The Doctor has met the Silurians before and the meetings have never ended well, much to the Doctor’s great regret. A rather weak Silurian story with the 5th Doctor, ended with one of the most famous Doctor Who quotes: “There should have been a better way.” When the 11th Doctor tells the humans in the church that the Silurians are no more evil or violent than humans, he has history to back him up. Neither humans nor Silurians have acquitted themselves well in past meetings.

Wolfgeek: as to not landing at the correct time and place, historically this was the norm. Doctor #1 could hardly control the TARDIS. Landing in the wrong place at the wrong time was common. Doctor #4 would get Romana’s eyes rolling at his inept piloting skills. Sara Jane bounced out of the TARDIS in a bathing suit with a beach ball only to find herself on a cold and rocky shore. It was a running plot line that Doctor #5 could not get Teegan back to her time and place even though she was eager to leave the TARDIS. There has been much fan discussion regarding what part the TARDIS itself plays in deciding where it will land, as it is sentient. The level of sentience is not clear.

However, it is odd now since the Doctor appeared to be in control of the TARDIS since the Time War. I assumed there had been some upgrades or repairs. So perhaps you are correct in thinking that the cracks have something to do with it all. OTOH, it just might be the Doctor showing us his usual lousy piloting skills. Remember that the TARDIS is supposed to be piloted by 6 time lords, so a single pilot has his hands full.

I would call this one a middling episode. I found it enjoyable, but not overly exciting. It was fun to see the Silurians again and it will be interesting to see if the Doctor can improve on the usual bloodbath that follow a human/siluran meeting.